Method for adjusting parabolic antennae

ABSTRACT

A method for adjusting a parabolic antenna with a reflector attached to a bracket, the reflector being designed as at least part of a paraboloid and with a receiving device located essentially at a focus of the reflector. The method includes the steps of adjusting the bracket with a measuring device installed in the bracket without need for the reflector to be attached to the bracket, and subsequently detachably fastening the reflector to the bracket.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This is a national stage of application No. PCT/DE00/02366, filed onJul. 20, 2000. Priority is claimed on that application and on thefollowing application:

Country: Germany, Application No.: 199 37 511.9, Filed: Aug. 9, 1999.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention pertains to a method for adjusting parabolic antennasmounted on brackets and to a mounting device for parabolic antennas.

Parabolic antennas are mounted on buildings, masts, etc., and pointed atthe satellites from the which desired signals are to be received. Theseantennas are usually installed in exposed positions such as on roofs, onthe exterior walls of houses, etc., and then aligned with the signalscoming from the satellite, the antenna being rotated and tilted untilthe signal is received at maximum intensity by the receiving devicelocated at the focus of the parabolic antenna. Especially in the case oflarge parabolic antennas, this installation procedure is cumbersome andcomplicated and is often associated with risk.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The task of the invention is therefore to improve the process foradjusting parabolic antennas mounted on brackets and to improve themounting device for parabolic antennas in such a way that such antennascan be installed and aligned with a satellite very easily, even inexposed and difficult-to-reach places.

Pursuant to the present invention, the method for adjusting a parabolicantenna with a reflector attached to a bracket includes the steps ofadjusting the bracket by means of a measuring device installed in thebracket without the need for the reflector to be attached to thebracket, and subsequently detachably fastening the reflector to thebracket. A mounting device pursuant to the present invention for aparabolic antenna is comprised of a bracket, fastening elements mountedon the bracket for attaching the parabolic antenna, a receiving device,and a measuring device operative to detect satellite signals. Themeasuring device is integrated into the bracket and the parabolicantenna is attachable to the fastening elements without tools.

Integrating a measuring device for detecting the satellite signals intothe bracket offers the significant advantage that the mounting devicecan be aligned with the satellite signal before the reflecting device isattached. In conjunction with fastening elements, which make it possiblefor the reflector to be attached without tools and also detached easilyagain, the entire satellite receiving device can be easily aligned toreceive the satellite signal at maximum intensity and then fastened inplace. In particular, there is no longer any need to subject theparabolic antenna itself to cumbersome manipulations.

It is possible in principle to provide a second, small receiving devicein the bracket, which can be used to align the bracket with thesatellite signal. In addition, however, the receiving device which willultimately be positioned essentially at the focus of the reflector canbe integrated temporarily into the mounting bracket and used to alignthe bracket with the satellite signal. After the alignment has beencompleted, the receiving device is removed from the bracket andinstalled at the focal point of the reflector.

It is also possible for a part of the bracket to be provided with aparaboloid surface, so that a receiving device, which will ultimately beinstalled at the focal point of the reflector, can work with thisparaboloid surface to faclitate the adjustment procedure.

In an advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the measuringinstrument is integrated on a chip, which means that it will occupy onlya very small amount of space. In another advantageous embodiment,furthermore, solar cells are provided on the bracket, which supply themeasuring device with power. In this way, no additional power supplyunits which would have to be connected by power cords are needed.

The fastening elements for the parabolic antennas are preferablydesigned as rails, in which sliding elements on the back of theparabolic antenna engage. The parabolic antenna can thus be mounted bysliding it onto the rails; it can also be removed again just as easily.As a result, it is easy to remove the parabolic antenna so that it canbe replaced with an antenna of a different design, for example.

Additional features and advantages of the invention are the objects ofthe following description and are illustrated in the drawings, whichshow an exemplary embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The FIGURE shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of amounting device which makes use of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A mounting device for parabolic antennas comprises a bracket 10, towhich a reflector (not shown) in the form of a paraboloid or part of aparaboloid can be attached. Fastening elements 20, which can bedesigned, for example, as rails, as shown here, are provided on thebracket 10. Sliding elements (not shown) attached to the back of thereflector can slide along these rails and thus serve to hold thereflector in position. A receiving device 30 with a receiver forsatellite signals can also be attached to the bracket 10; this can bedone, for example, by inserting it into an opening 12 in the bracket 10.

The receiving device 30, the appearance of which is distorted in theFIGURE, is located essentially at what will be the focal point of thereflector after the reflector has been mounted. It receives thesatellite signals reflected and focused by the reflector.

The bracket 10 is attached, for example, to a mast bracket 14. As can beseen from the FIGURE, the mast bracket 14 has holes 15 and slots 16 toallow the antenna bracket to be attached to it, so that the tilt angleof the antenna bracket 10 can be adjusted. The mast bracket 14 itself ismounted rotatably on a rod-like mast, which allows the reflector to bepointed at a satellite. A measuring instrument 40 is integrated into thebracket 10, which instrument makes it possible to align the bracket 10with the satellite, so that the signals can be received at maximumintensity. The measuring instrument 40 is integrated into the bracket 10in such a way that, when the instrument 40 detects the satellite signalat maximum intensity, this same maximum intensity signal will also bereceived by the parabolic antenna to be attached later. Expressed inanother way, the measuring instrument 40 is located so that, after thebracket 10 has been aligned to receive the satellite signal at maximumintensity, the main receiver will also receive this signal after thereflector has been installed. This measuring instrument 40 can be asecond, small measuring or receiving instrument for satellite signals,but the receiver which forms part of the main receiving device 30 canalso be integrated into the bracket for the adjustment procedure andthen reinstalled in the receiving device 30 later, after the bracket hasbeen adjusted. In this case, a part of the bracket 10 can be designed asa paraboloid or as part of a paraboloid and thus represents so to speaka miniaturized reflector for the adjustment of the bracket.

Solar cells 42 are also provided on the bracket 10 to supply themeasuring instrument 40 with power. As a result, there is no need forany power supply cords.

The bracket and the reflector are mounted in the following way:

First, the bracket 10 is attached to the mast holder 14 and aligned withthe satellite to receive its signals at maximum intensity with help ofthe measuring instrument 40.

Then the bracket 10 is fastened to the mast holder, and the mast holderis fastened to the mast.

Next, the reflector is attached by sliding it into the holding rails 20.

The mounting device described above for parabolic antennas offers notonly the significant advantage that it can be installed much moreconveniently and easily than the mounting devices known from the stateof the art, which must always be aligned with the satellite to receivesignals at maximum intensity while the reflector is attached to thedevice. Because the reflector is attached without tools, furthermore, itis also possible to remove the paraboloid-shaped reflector or areflector of some other shape easily and to replace it with a unit of adifferent design. This can be advantageous for advertising purposes, forexample, but it is also useful for adapting the system to new sets ofconditions such as a change in the color of the exterior wall, a changein the color of the roof of the building, etc.

What is claimed is:
 1. A mounting device for a parabolic antenna,comprising: a bracket; fastening elements mounted on the bracket forattachment of the parabolic antenna; a receiving device; and a measuringdevice operative for detecting satellite signals, the measuring devicebeing integrated into the bracket, the parabolic antenna beingreleasably attachable to the fastening elements without tools.
 2. Amounting device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device ismounted to an area of the bracket formed as at least a part of aparaboloid.
 3. A mounting device according to claim 1, wherein themeasuring instrument is integrated on a chip.
 4. A mounting deviceaccording to claim 1, and further comprising solar cells mounted on thebracket so as to provide the measuring device with power.
 5. A mountingdevice according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device and thereceiving device are a single component.
 6. A mounting device accordingto claim 1, wherein the fastening elements are rails in which slidingelements on a back of the parabolic antenna engage.
 7. A method foradjusting a parabolic antenna with a reflector attached to a bracket,the reflector being designed as at least part of a paraboloid and with areceiving device located essentially at a focus of the reflector, themethod comprising the steps of: adjusting the bracket with a measuringdevice installed in the bracket without need for the reflector to beattached to the bracket; and subsequently detachably fastening thereflector to the bracket.
 8. A method according to claim 7, includingusing a receiver of the receiving device as the measuring device.
 9. Amethod according to claim 8, including attaching the receiving device tothe bracket, and using a part of the bracket, designed as at least apart of paraboloid, as a reflector.